Difference Between Copper and Fibre Systems

When installing electrical systems in your Melbourne or Geelong home or business, it is important to understand the difference between copper and fibre systems so that when working with a local electrician, you know what is being installed, and what is ideal for your needs.

Structured copper electrical cabling has a variety of advantages for certain applications – it has power over Ethernet, for example, which gives you the ability to power phones, surveillance cameras, wireless access points, a variety of other electrical devices through the copper networking itself. Copper wiring is also highly affordable, more flexible, and has the advantage of having been used for years for communications systems and networking. Fibre, on the other hand, has a higher bandwidth than copper, meaning that it can handle more communications streaming and transmitting more quickly and efficiently than copper systems.

Additionally, there is less interference with signals due to electromagnetic interference than with copper electrical cabling. Fibre cable is less expensive than copper cable in the application itself, but does require more expensive electronics to function properly. It is a good idea to consult with your area contractor to evaluate the project as a whole when trying to decide whether to go with copper or fibre electrical installation – this way, the application of the system installation can be evaluated to determine what will be the most effective, cost efficient, and have the least degradation of signal strength over time.

It is generally agreed upon that copper wire has the greatest advantage in terms of durability and cost – often, the cost of the fibre does not outweigh the cost of the more expensive electronics, making it a more affordable option up front. Plus, copper wiring is more durable, so installing copper systems overall requires less maintenance and fewer repairs.

However, copper wire carries a higher voltage, making them more dangerous, particularly when working with them in a live environment. Also, since they are copper, and highly conductive, they can occasionally act as lightning rods, making them more likely to carry high voltage electrical power surges – not only making them more dangerous, but more likely to destroy or overload electronics.With fibre cabling, there is less risk of signal degradation over longer distances, as well as the fact that fibre cabling is more light weight – so for large, expansive projects, you may find that this is overall a better option for transmissions and applications that span larger geographical areas.